Crown support for gas holders



, May 1927' A. w. SEELS CROWN SUPPORT FOR GAS HOLDERS Filed Oct. 2, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1927. May 10 A. w. SEELS CROWN SUPPORT FOR GAS HOLDERS Filed Oct. 2, 1925 2. ShQGtS-ShBGt 2 Q N\ S w 3 U Q A m 3 N Patented May 10, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT/OFFICE;

AUBREY w. SEELS, or CHICAGO,

comrnmr, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO CHICAGO BRIDGE A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CROWN sorrow! FOB Gas HOLDERS.

Application filed October, 2, 1925. Serial Ito. 60,059.

This invention relates to improvements in V crown supports for gas holders; and more especially to a crown support for gas hold ers of the type having ing sections,

two or more telescop-.

in which the center member rises and falls in relation to the amount of gas contained in the holder;

In the construction it is necessary. to provide. a. support gas holders for the of such crown or roof when the holder is empty ordeflated. "When the crown or root is raised by the gas inside, however, no such support is needed; as in such case the crown or roo will be supported by the gas itself. Here tofore, difficulty has been encountered in properly taking care of the weight of the crown support itself raised by the gas inside.

simple manner as will be detail hereinafter. Other features and advantages of my invention will appear more this difiiculty in a explained more in with my specification.

when the crown is I have overcome fully as I procee In that form of device embodying the features of my invention accompanying drawings,

cal sectional view of agas andshown in the igure 1 1s a vertiholder show ng my improved crown support, and Fig. 2 is:-

a. top plan view of the same with the crown or roof of the gas holder removed.

As shown in the drawings, central telescoping member or inner lift or hell of a gas holder of the top of 'which is closed and construction,

' by the roof or crown 10 indicates the a well known form 11. In Fig. 1, such roof or crown11 is shown in an elevated position in solid lines broken lines in the position the holder is empty or de the latter position, some means vided for supporting the means The supporting indicated by the it occupies when flated. \Vhen in must be procrown 11.

referred to comprise a series of radial trusses, beams, or other suitable structural members Indicated in general vby 12, 12, upper chords 12, the diagonal struts braces or bars 12.

or braces 12 The upper ends of the and comprising the lower chords 12", the

and the vertical vertical members '12 are extended somewhat above the upper chords of the truss 12 so that their ends will lie substantially in an arc conforming substantially to the curvature of the crown 11. the vertical members To the upper ends of 12-are attached the circular purlins 13, u

and supporting themselves 'used for the distance on which the crown 11 amen rests when the gas older is empty or de- The outer ported by the gussets 14.- attached to the be 1. The inner ends of the trusses 12 are attached to a center ring 15; and are somewhat higher than the outer ends.

16 indicates a-tower in the centerof the holder resting on the bottom. I

' When the holder is empty, the crown rests on the purlins, 13 which are carried by the trusses 12. In this. position, the inner ends ends of the trusses 12 are su r of such trusses'are carried by the tower 162' so -that each member 12 acts as a simple truss or beam to carry a part of the weight of the crown.

W'hen the holder is inflated,'the trusses 12 rise with the inner lift, leaving the tower their outer ends purlins 1-3. In this position,

d being rigidly supported by the gussets 14,

and their inner ends being attached to the ring 15, they act as arches. That is, each of such trusses acts with the one diametrically opposite it 'to form'a self-supporting archf By means of this arch construction, theweight of the trusses and purlinsis thus carried when the tank is inflated.-

By the use of my invention, radial members, or trusses of like construction, may he only one-half of the diameter of the gas holder when the sameis deflated and the load of the crown is resting on such trusses.

It is to be noted that the crown plates are not fastened to the nrlins 13. By this construction consider-ab e expense is ,saved.

In addition to the above, it is to be noted -'that the trusses-are not fastened to the tower .16 but their inner ends merely rest upon the same when t tower does not rise and fall with the inner he tank isdefiated. The

and the circular which each spans 1s trusses to the In thoseconstructions of crown supas an integral part of the crown support. In such'cases it cannot be used in connection with the erection of the structure.-

. In general, it might be stated, that one of the principal features'of my invention is the provision of a crown support systemv which supports itself by arch action when the holder is inflated and there is no load;

broadly as possible in view of the 'prior art.-

but which is so constructed that it has sufficient strength to support the crown and.

loads which might be on 'the crown when the holder is empty.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made Without departing from the spirit and scope V of the invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my mtention to claim all novelty inherent in my invention as -What I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a-gas holder of the character de'-' scribed, having an inner hell with a crown a crown support comprising; a plurality' o radial trusses arrangedqbeneath the crown of the inner bell, the outer ends of said trusses being attached to said inner bell, the inne ends of said trusses being higher than .t' e outer ends thereof and fastened together, whereby said trusses will form a self-supporting archconstruction which will arise and fall with the inner bell; and a centrally arranged tower inside of said gas holder adapted to support the inner ends together to form a self-supporting arch construction. said trusses not being directly connected to said crown; and a centrally arranged tower in said gas holder adapted to support the inner endsof said trusses when the gas. holder is deflated whereby said trusses will'then support said crown.

3. In a gas holder of the character described, having an inncr bell with a crown,

a crown su ort comprising; a plurality of radial trus e sarranged beneath the crown of the inner bell and carrying'crown supporting members, the outer ends of said trusses being connected to said bell, and

thejnner ends beinghigher than the outer ends and joined together to form a self-' supporting arch construction; and a centrally arranged tower in said gas holder adaptedto support the inner ends of said trusses when the gas holder is deflated whereby the crown. supporting members'ca'rried by .the trusses will then carry 'the weight of the crown.

4. In a gas holder of the character de.

scribed, having an inner bell with a crown.

a crown support comprising; a plurality of radial trusses. arrangedv beneath the crown of the inner bell, the outer ends of said trusses being attached to said inner bell,

the inner ends'of said trusses being higher than the outer ends thereof and fastened together by a ring member, whereby said trusses will form a self-supporting arch construction which will rise and fall with the inner bell; and a centrally arranged tower inside-0f said gas holder adapted to support the inner ends of saidtrusses when the gas holder is deflated whereby said trusses will then carry the weight of the crown.

5. In a gas holder of. the character described, having an inner bell with a crown, a crown suppogt comprising; a plurality of radial trusses arranged beneath the crown of the inner bell and carrying crown supporting circular purlins, the outer ends ofsald trusses beingconneeted to said bell,

and the inner ends being higher than the outer ends and joined together to form a self-supporting arch construction; and a centrally arranged tower in said gas holder adapted to support the inner ends ofsaid trusses when the; gas holder is deflated whereby the crown supporting circular purlins carried by the trusses will then carry the weight ofthe crown.

'6. In a gas holder of the character described, having an inner bell with a crown, acrown support comprising; a centrally arranged towerin the center of the gas holder adapted for use as erection equip ment in.the construction of the gas holder; a plurality of radial trusses arranged beneath the crown of the inner bell and having their outer ends attached to said bell,

the inner ends of said trusses being higher than the outer ends and joined togetherto form a self supporting arch construction, the innernzends of said trusses also adapted to rest 0 said tower when thegas holder is'deflated whereby said trusses will then I carry the weight of said crown.

In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set. myhand this 14th day of Sept, A. 1925. I a

Aime? w. sjEELs. 

